Saturday, April 13, 2013

Lambing Update

Pictures to follow.  Walked to the barn with camera in hand, only to find that my battery was dead.  So while it is charging I will just fill you in and add photos later. 

Yesterday Minwawe Pearl had twin ram lambs.  One HST black (? maybe grey) and white and the other is all white.  Now I know what you are thinking, both rams!  But these boys are out of the same ewe that is mother to the ram, King Tut, that was Champion Shetland Ram, Best Fleece, and runner up for Supreme Champion ram last year at the Big E Sheep Show in Springfield, MA.  Their daddy, ABA Lava,  is the triplet brother to the ram ABA Lego who won top ram last year as a ram lamb at the Mid Atlantic Shetland Sheep Show.  So I have high hopes for the quality of these two ram lambs and am excited to see how they mature.  I don't show myself but is always exciting when sheep related to your flock do well and I was very excited to see them in the January NASSA news.

Pearl's daughter Topaz, full sis to Tut mentioned above, also bred to Lava, and had a beautiful white ewe lamb that is F3 Heights Orion, and F2 Drum Jings.  My first ever genetically white ewe lamb (Marshmello and her daughter are actually big white spots, meaning they are grey or black genetically completely covered by a white spot).  So this beauty may not be for sale, depending on what else Lava throws.  I would like to keep one true white ewe lamb.  I think I may have over fed this winter.  This was another very large lamb.  I went easier on the grain, but they can get over conditioned on hay as well.  I feel I little like the boy who fed his fish too much...who remembers that book?  Only thing is Mr. Carp is not coming to help me out!  This first time mom needed a little help with a leg caught back...I had to rotate the shoulders for her to get her clear...but she did fantastic and the lamb was up and nursing in no time, no worse for wear.

That is the latest.  I will update as they arrive and add photos.  So far the count 4 single ewe lambs, and one set of twin ram lambs.  Seven more ewes to go.

Edit here:  still no pictures.  Too tired, maybe later.  Pumpkin had twin white ewe lambs Sat. night just before midnight.  She has decided she just wants one, like most of the rest, and is taking turns to which one that is.  It is frustrating me to no end, I just hope the first time mom figures it out before she hurts one of them.  Lets them both nurse but then bats them around a little on occasion when they come nose to nose with her.  Had them jugged, then thought maybe in the whole group chaos she would figure out which TWO smelled like hers, but that didn't go well so I decided the jug was a safer setting.  Hope they make it, both really pretty, and she is one of my favorites...well WAS one of my favorites, not so much at the moment.  Debating between being patient and letting them figure it out, and taking one in the house to raise as a bottle baby.  We will see how things go.  Just have to keep a very close eye on them.

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